Sweden is hardly thought of as a romantic country. Secure? Sure. Sexy? Depends on who you ask. Sentimental? Not so much. But if you have a Swedish boyfriend or girlfriend, you can earn some easy brownie points by learning some Swedish terms of endearment.
According to the language learning program Babbel, Swedish comes in as the 7th sexiest accent in the world. Not great, not bad –lagom, as Swedes would say. But who cares how attractive words sound when you’re speaking to your beloved?
Here are 22 Swedish terms of endearment for (almost) all occasions!
Incidentally, if you are looking to boost your Swedish accent, check out our tips for how to speak Swedish fluently.
Gender-neutral Swedish terms of endearment
1. Älskling (Darling)
Let’s kick things off with the most basic term. Pronounced “ells-kling”, this word can mean darling, my love, sweetie, etc. It’s a versatile word because it’s not purely romantic – I call my cat “älskling” all the time and she doesn’t seem to mind.
2. Raring (Sweetie)
The closest equivalent in Swedish to “sweetie”. It’s a tricky one to pronounce if you can’t roll your r’s as the first r is hard, but I don’t think anyone worth being called “raring” will mind too much. Try it: “rarr-ing”.
3. Snygging (Hottie)
Turn up the heat a bit. If you can’t keep it to yourself that your partner is a hot chunk of love, this is the word for you. The “y” sound in it can be simplified to the “oo” sound in words like “hood”: “snoo-ging”.
4. Sötnos (Cutie)
Literally translated, this word means “cute-nose”. This is an adorable, cutesy addition to your list of pet names in Swedish that is sure to make anyone smile. Pronounce it like “sir-t-noos“.
5. Käraste (Dearest)
A great way of letting your partner know they’re your number one. This word means “dearest” or “most loved”. Try pronouncing it like: “share-ass-teh”.
6. Hjärtat (My heart)
This one can be used for romantic partners but it’s also quite common for women to call their friends “hjärtat” in a consoling way. It’s pronounced: “yeah-r-tat”.
7. Mitt allt (My everything)
The big guns. If you’re looking for Swedish terms of endearment to put in writing, you surely can’t do better than this one. Pronunciation tip: the “allt” has the same sound of ‘all’ in the English word “shall”: “mitt all-t“.
8. Storis/Lillis (Big one / Little one)
These words can be translated as baby speak for “big” (storis) and “little” (lillis). Which is pretty cute if, like me, you are navigating a big height difference with your partner. Here’s how to pronounce them: “stor-iss” or “lill-iss“.
9. Sockerbulle (Sweet bun)
It’s unusual to hear this one in public but who can deny its cuteness? If it’s just you and your beloved, don’t hesitate to refer to them as your sweet, sweet bun: “soccer-bull-eh“.
10. Sötis (Sweetie)
If “sweetnose” is a bit much for you, you can always reach for “sötis” instead. This one is extra cute because the “is” at the end implies that it’s a diminutive – aw. Pronounce it like this: “ser-tiss”.
11. Gullet (Cutie)
Similarly, “gullet” is another synonym for the English equivalent “cutie”. It comes from the adjective, “gulligt” (cute) and should be pronounced “gool (rhymes with “wool”) – ett“.
12. Pussgurka (Kiss-Cucumber)
Let’s end this section on a weird one, shall we? Don’t worry, there’s nothing dodgy about calling someone a kiss cucumber, this is actually a tender nickname that some parents even use for their kids. Even better, it has nothing to do with English “puss”. Pronounce the ‘u’ with the same sound as the ‘u’ in “full”, and gurka like “gerr-kaa”.
Swedish terms of endearment for men
13. Kille (Boyfriend)
This section isn’t terribly romantic, but as most pet names in Swedish are gender-neutral, men sadly miss out on romantic terminology. However, you might know that “kille” is another word for “guy” but with a “min” (my) in front of it, it means “my boyfriend”: “min kille”. Essentially, it’s a title that describes your male partner.
14. Man (Husband/partner)
It’s pretty straightforward, but if someone introduces a man to you as “min man” (my husband), then you know that they’re an item.
Swedish terms of endearment for women
15. Gumman (Old lady)
Yes, you read it right. Swedes really do call a girlfriend, wife, partner, or even baby daughter “old lady”. It’s meant in a ‘sweet’ way though. Roll with it, accept it, and “gumman” whoever you like (just females, though, remember that!). Pronounced: “goo (same “oo” sound as ‘hood’) – man“.
Note: The male equivalent of “gumman“, “gubben“, is a Swedish term of endearment but is mostly reserved for male kids and mostly used by their parents or close family.
16. Tjej (Girlfriend)
While it’s not the most romantic phrase, you can be pretty happy if your boyfriend calls you his “tjej“. It’s a colloquial term for “girlfriend”. Pronounced: “shay“.
17. Habibi (My love)
Eagle-eyed readers or speakers of Arabic will already know this one and might wonder why it’s on this list.
Well, you’re quite right, it’s a borrowed word that has been integrated into Swedish from Arabic. It’s worth noting that I’ve only ever heard this used by young people or bilingual Arabic-Swedish speakers, but if your Swedish partner has dual-nationality, then maybe this is perfect!
Swedish terms of endearment for friends
Who says that love is all about romance? Let your Swedish friends know you treasure them by calling them some of these Swedish terms of endearment reserved for your best buds!
18. Vännen (Friend)
While “hey, friend!” sounds a bit weird in English, it’s perfectly acceptable in Swedish. This is a common and easy way to let your Swedish friend know that you care about them: “Hej vännen! Hur var din semester?” (Hi, friend! How was your vacation?) Pronounced “hay venn-en“.
19. Kompis (Friend)
Repeating “vännen” might get a bit old, and if you’re in need of some variation, use the word “kompis” instead. It also means “friend” and is a nice, polite way of letting someone know you value their friendship. Pronounce it like: “com-piss“.
20. Tjejkompis / Killkompis (Girl-friend/Guy-friend)
The same as above but is used as a gender-specific term for friends. Swedes might tell you they have a weekend away planned with their “tjejkompisar” (girl friends) or that they’re going to a Bachelor party with their “killkompisar” (guy friends). Pronounced either “shay-com-piss-ar” or “kill-com-piss-ar“.
21. Grabben (My guy, lad)
Sorry, fellow women of the world, this is almost entirely reserved for guys. “Grabb” is Stockholm-slang for “guy” or “lad” and is the language of love for men between friends. This phrase is very often used as a way of saying hello: “Tjena grabben!” (What’s up, my guy?) Pronounced “grabb-en“.
22. Bästis (Bestie)
Is your BFF a Swede? Then you should refer to them as your “bästis” (best-iss). I’ve mostly heard this used by young people, but age is no definer when it comes to letting your best friend know you love them!
Things to remember when using pet names in Swedish
Remember at the start when I said Sweden doesn’t have a romantic reputation? Well, to tell you the whole truth, it’s more complicated than that.
I’d argue that Swedes have a different love language to, say, Americans. While Swedish culture is influenced by American culture, some things we just have a harder time adapting to. Like Valentine’s Day and dating, for example. So with that said, here are a few things to remember:
- Don’t use pet names on a first date: Obviously, this is entirely up to you. If you want to use one, then go right ahead. But be warned that Swedes tend to wait until they bring out romantic nicknames in a relationship and dating is often much more casual in Sweden.
- Common Swedish terms of endearment are ok in public: Basically, it’s ok if you quietly get your significant other’s attention by calling them “älskling” or “hjärtat“. But maybe don’t yell “snygging!” at the supermarket if you lose your SO in the toilet paper aisle. Swedes tend to be on the shyer side and it will likely end up embarrassing for everyone involved.
- Use a combination of these Swedish pet names for maximum effect: There’s an old Swedish idiom that sums this up perfectly: “kära barn har många namn” (loved children have lots of names). Basically, the more nicknames you acquire the more love you’re being shown. Don’t be afraid to mix it up a little.
And there you have it — 20+ Swedish terms of endearment to impress your loved ones! And if you don’t have a Swedish partner yet, or never will, at least you know what to call your pet when they’re being too cute to handle.
Besides, learning new vocabulary in a new language is never bad. Want to get even better at Swedish? Check out our extensive list of Swedish resources to get you to speak fluent Swedish in no time — we’re talking apps, books, courses, podcasts, useful vocabulary, and much more!
Swedish terms of endearment – Pin it!
Not sure that’s what you wanted to say with the “7th sexist” language